Inhaler for medicinal substances



March 23, 1954 H, Q W|| 15 2,672,865

INHALER FOR MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES Filed April 27, 1951 F1a l 1711i ZIYl/ENTOI@ Patented Mar. 23, 1954 Hariri@ .Willis, Blackwood,-.Southuullst.lalia,

Australiar i AmiczttibnAprliZfl, 1951, Serial-Noz 223,184l

Gleim nifioritsf,,application-Australia May 19, 19.5.0k

This invention relates" to; anA inhaler for medicinal substances.,

`W'heninhaling" medicina-1r substances" either through the-nose orthemouth it isdesirableito effect a very'nedischarge of"-`themateriaibeinginhaled.-

Where the. material vis a substancev Such as powdered penicillin certaindiinculties present themselves [the r chief: off `which is y theinability withinhalers as constructedheretofore oi"4maintainingsimplicity of constructionlwhile` achieving aneldischarge ofthe powder.

iii'ccording to this invention. the. inhalercomprisesa bodyprovidedatoneeendiwith ari-.extension having anou'tlet at its lend which can beengaged on a nostril or placed against or into the mouth, air inletmeans being located through another part of the container and soarranged that when suction is applied to the outlet the reduction ofpressure within the container will cause air to ow into same to causesmall quantitles of the powder to be lifted in dust form and thus placedinto a condition where they can be readily inhaled through the outlet.

The device is preferably provided with a sealing cap which mayconveniently be of mushroom shape having a central plug which passesdown and through the outlet so that it will be sealed when the plug isin use but the plug will serve to clear the outlet as it is removed, theoutwardly extending portions lof the cap fitting over the projectionthrough which the outlet is formed and having their lower periphery incontact with the air inlet or inlets through which the ne jets of airare drawn when the device is in use.

This unit will be found to be of simple construction and highly hygienicfor the reason that the cap normally protects the portion placed intocontact with the nostril or the mouth while at the same time loss of thecontent or contamination of same will be prevented by the seal which theplug effects both of the outlet and the ne jet openings.

In order, however, that the invention may be more clearly understood itwill now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. '1 is a side elevation of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section,

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the cap removedfrom the body,

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of a modified form of body, and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a still further modification.

The'body- Izhas ahollow Tin, which the powder toV be; inhaled isldisposed,- thebody being closed atv itsY lower end bya plug 3 and-havingan; extensionY 4" curved inwardly to terminatei'nan outlet 5 throughwhich, the inhaling takesplace.

Fitting` over the bod-y- I is' a capA 6 the lower endi off which;Aengages aA port-ion 'lonthe bod-yy; the portion 'l-Y havingj acircumferentialf ridge- 8 which co-operateswitlrraf depressionin thencap 6 to elect a spring lock of' thecap 6- to the body Ii The cap 6 hasin-it a depending plug l0 which fitslinto-.theout-let 5'; at the'top of'the-bodyv IA to seal Vthis out-let asshown'y more` particularly `inFig. 2; f

An air inlet opening IJI", substantially smaller than the outlet 5 andhaving a diameter no larger than one-quarter the diameter of the outlet,is formed through the portion 'I of the body I and is arranged to directair downwardly into the powder space of the body so that when suction isapplied through the outlet 5 the air flowing in through the air inletopening II will disturb the powder either by direct contact or by reflexcurrents of air set up in the container to cause the powder to be liftedwith`an upward flow of air taking place within the bondy I.

In the modication shown in Fig. 4, in which similar reference numeralsare used to corresponding parts, a further air inlet opening I4 isformed through the portion 1 of the body I, this air inlet opening,however, being arranged as an additional air bleed to permit a greaterquantity of air to be drawn through the outlet 5 in the extension 4 ofthe body I.

By providing the two openings II and i4 a close control is given of themixture of air and powder, the opening I I projecting a stream of airdownwardly to disturb the powder and render at least some of itair-borne while the opening I4 admits additional air so that the ratioof air to powder being drawn through the outlet 5 gives more air for ameasured quantity of powder and thus allo-ws the powder to be carrieddeep into the lungs or further back into the throat if such is desired.When the small opening I I only is used it will be appreciated that theamount of air flowing through the outlet 5 will be correspondingly smalland the powder will settle in the nostrils or mouth more readily than isthe case where a relatively large volume of air is being inhaled.

In the modication shown in Fig. 5 of which again the corresponding partshave similar reference characters, the body l kis provided with ashoulder I5 between which and the shoulder I6 of the body is disposed arotatable sleeve I'I, the sleeve having an opening I8 which may registerwith the opening II in the body or may be brought into partial registeronly if such is desired, this then permitting the size of the opening IIto be adjusted by appropriately orientating the sleeve I'I.

In use the cap 6 is simply removed from the body I and the outlet 5placed into communication with the mouth or nostril whereupon whensuction is applied the powder from the hollow 2 will be drawn up withthe air depending in Volume on the size of the opening II and whether ornot the additional opening I4 is used. When inhaling is completed thecap is simply replaced until such time as a further supply of theinhalant is required, the cap tting over the portion 1 of the body inthe case of Figs. 1 to 4 or over the sleeve I 'I in the case of Fig. 5to seal the air openings into the body so that when the cap is inposition it closes the outlet 5 and at the same time the air inletopenings I I and I4 if used so that a hygienic and aseptic seal isformed for the container.

` The unit can be formed of plastic or any other suitable material andit will be appreciated that the openings may be duplicated if desired anmay be arranged tangentially.

What I claim is:

1. An inhaler for medicinal inhalants comprising a hollow body forholding a medicinal inhalant and having an axial extension tapering toan unobstructed voutlet opening arranged axially at its end, andintermediate its ends said body having at least one straight air inletopening extending oblquely through the wall of said body which has adiameter no greater than onequarter the diameter of said outlet openingand arranged to admit air into said hollow body in a direction away fromsaid outlet opening when suction is applied to the latter, a cap toengage said body intermediate the ends oi' the latter and fit over saidextension for sealing said inlet opening, and a stopper projectingaxially within said cap to extend through and seal said outlet opening.

2. An inhaler according to claim 1; wherein said body has an additionalstraight air inlet opening extending obliquely through the side wallthereof intermediate its ends and arranged to admit additional air intosaid hollow body in the direction towards said outlet opening so thatthe additional air will be mixed with the medicinal mist formed by airentering through the rst mentioned inlet opening.

3. An inhaler according to claim 1; including an apertured sleevemovable on said body for selective registration with said air inletopening to vary the effective area of the latter.

HARRY G. WILLIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 263,451 Adams Aug. 29, 1882 439,707 Warren Nov. 4, 1890545,679 Cills Sept. 3, 1895 567,558 Wiseman Sept. 8, 1896

